Why Is Lululemon So Popular? (Secret Behind Their Cult-Like Following)

Fitness enthusiasts are always looking for accessories and new things to improve their lifestyle and performance at the gym. So, it’s no surprise that a lot of people are now buying athletic apparel for efficient workouts.

A lot of brands are catering for this market, including the likes of Adidas, Nike, Athleta, and Fabletics. But in recent times, another brand called Lululemon has been stealing all the spotlight.

While giants like Nike and Puma have been polishing their brand names, Lululemon has defeated them in this space by donning a community-centric approach. They have targeted yoga enthusiasts, gym-goers, running groups, and other types of athletes to become the cornerstone of the exclusive Lululemon experience.

But a nice approach cannot explain the immense success of the brand.

Surely, there is something special about Lululemon that is drawing fitness enthusiasts to the brand like moths to a flame?

In this article, we’ll explore the rise of Lululemon and explore the various avenues that make them so much more popular in the athleisure category than their competitors.

Why is Lululemon so Popular?

Lululemon is globally renowned for launching a wide range of functional products to increase your performance during physical activity.

But there are other brands that do the same, right? So, what makes Lululemon special and better than the rest?

Let’s find out.

Specialization in One Niche

The rise of Lululemon against giants like Nike and Adidas can only be explained from one perspective – they focused on a single niche, mastered it, and gained a global monopoly.

Adidas and Nike are dedicated to launching sports-related equipment. They cover a large market, and athleisure is one small aspect of what they do. Naturally, they can’t focus on revolutionizing an industry that small when they could be making more sports-centric products.

Amid this, Lululemon soared. From day one of the company, they only had one goal – to make athletic apparel with high functionality for people who engage in yoga classes, workout sessions, running, and all the other sweaty pursuits you can think of right now.

Due to their singular objective, they are able to churn out fashionable, innovative, and durable products year after year without fail. And they’ve set the bar so high that they don’t even engage in discount marketing – the customers are willing to pay what the brand asks!

High-Quality Manufacturing

Lululemon has a very well-planned manufacturing system. While they don’t have their own facilities, they work with third-party manufacturers and suppliers in various countries.

The company, however, makes sure that no stone is left unturned when it comes to conducting quality checks in these units. The executives at Lululemon make sure that they maintain close relationships with the suppliers.

The company also schedules regular meetings with them to check on the quality of the products, enforce the use of sustainable production activities, and ensure that ethical standards are being met at each manufacturing plant.

The brand also has a large team responsible for sourcing, production, and quality control to ensure that the manufacturing process remains seamless.

With such a well-organized system, Lululemon is able to launch and design new products on a whim while maintaining maximum customer satisfaction due to the high quality of the items.

Revolutionary Fabrics

The most distinguishable detail about Lululemon’s products is the high-quality and trademarked fabrics that the brand uses.

Here’s a run-down of some of their signature fabrics:

• Luon: Deemed to be the most popular Lululemon fabric, Luon is a blend of nylon and lycra. It is soft, stretchy, and has moisture-wicking properties. It is perfectly suited for yoga, pilates, and other low-impact activities.
• Nulu: Nulu is a relatively new line of fabric, but rapidly growing in popularity. It’s even softer than Luon and feels almost weightless, making it a perfect choice for running, jogging, and similar activities.
• Luxtreme: Luxtreme is a trademarked fabric popularly used by gym-goers, marathon runners, and other athletes. It’s made from a blend of nylon and lycra. It has moisture-wicking properties, allowing wearers to remain cool and dry during intense workouts.
• Everlux: Everlux is made as an upgrade over Luxtreme and is the newest fabric used by the brand. Its sweat-wicking and quick-drying abilities make it a great option for regular gym-goers.
• Nulux: Nulux is an extremely lightweight and sweat-absorbing fabric. It is perfect for all kinds of sweat-inducing workouts to keep the wearer cool, calm, and collected.
• Swift: Swift is a relatively popular fabric used in Lululemon’s line of leggings. It is made from a blend of polyester and Lycra. It’s very lightweight, breathable, and moisture-wicking. It is perfectly suited to all kinds of high-intensity workouts.
• Mesh: Lululemon also uses mesh in a variety of their products, including footwear, to keep them breathable and help with ventilation during workouts in warmer climates.

What’s so great about Lululemon is that they don’t stop innovating new kinds of fabric. Every year, they release something newer and even more exciting than the previous innovations.

This helps keep the market on its toes and the brand relevant in the long run.

Exceptional Customer Service

When people rave about Lululemon, they’ll talk about the quality of the products, the variations available, and the revolutionary fabrics being used in the manufacturing process.

But another popular aspect of the brand is its customer service.

Lululemon has always been dedicated to ensuring maximum customer retention. They want to create a community that keeps coming back to them for its athleisure needs. As such, they treat every customer as the most important one.

Apart from dealing with negative reviews, order mismatches, or dispatch issues, there are some instances when Lululemon went above and beyond.

That’s the kind of brand that you want to give your business. And that’s why Lululemon is so popular on a global scale.

Wide Range of Products Available

Another standout quality of Lululemon is that they have a wide range of products. Apart from their signature leggings, tops, and yoga pants, they also deal in sweatshirts, hoodies, headbands, jackets, coats, shoes, and many other similar products.

With so many options to choose from, they have really established a clear-cut brand in the athleisure industry.

Most of their business, however, starts from their leggings. Lululemon leggings are so popular because of the types of fabric they use. There are many options available in this category for different situations, from sweat-wicking leggings to leggings that offer a barely-there feel.

Moreover, their leggings are extremely durable. Many customers are willing to spend extra on such products specifically because they tend to last a long time, making the investment a cost-effective one.

Lululemon specifically invests a lot in its primary products like leggings and tops. They keep launching new items in these categories regularly to keep the audience entertained and interested.

From there on, the customers are bound to try the brand’s other products because of the high satisfaction rate derived from their first purchase.

Lululemon Encourages a Culture of Innovation

At Lululemon, there is no room for stagnancy. Every year, they release a new line of products or a newer fabric with increased functionality.

They do so to compete with other giants operating in the same space. To give you an idea of the brand’s innovative streak, here’s an interesting fact – Lululemon actually introduced the idea of yoga pants. Now, it’s absolutely essential for anyone into fitness, yoga, or pilates.

The company’s hunger for growth and innovation is further reflected in how it launched a whole range of products for men as well. Now, Lululemon is spending a significant amount of money on the men’s section to achieve its aim of quadrupling its revenue.

Because of their risk-taking and innovative streaks, Lululemon is understandably a fan favorite. This is especially the case in the apparel industry because of fast fashion trends.

More Than an ‘Athleisure’ Brand

Lululemon has proven to be more than just an athleisure brand. It has attempted to create a global community of like-minded consumers and has successfully accomplished that.

Apart from that, the brand also makes stylish and fashionable products to expand the scope of athleisure. Now, people don’t have any problem wearing leggings, sweatpants, or even yoga pants, even when they are not exercising.

Lululemon benefited from this international trend and catered to the market demands by launching products that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional.

With all this, it cemented itself as more than just an athleisure brand.

Don’t miss:

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Why Do People Wear Hoodies to the Gym
Why Do People Wear Hats to the Gym

Final Words

Lululemon did not enjoy overnight success. Their global recognition and appeal are the result of constant experimentation, innovation, and commitment to customers.

It’s safe to say that Lululemon is a fan-favorite for many different reasons.